Glenn Beck Boycott Update: Will Color of Change Target Fox News Next?
Much has been made of the “Color of Change” lead advertiser boycott of the Glenn Beck show on Fox News. We’ve previously suggested that the companies involved in the boycott were wimping out by just moving their ads to different programs on Fox News. In fact, Fox News has told Mediaite that no revenue has been lost. In an exclusive interview, Color of Change co-founder James Rucker reveals the strategies, goals and possible next targets of the Glenn Beck boycott.
Beck returned from vacation this week, and some Internet commenters have noticed that there appear to be less (or shorter) advertisements during his show. In fact, yesterday’s program appeared to have skipped its first commercial break — its first segment lasted roughly 18 minutes (nearly twice the normal length of an opening segment). When asked about this, a Fox News publicist spokesperson offered no further comment clarified that Glenn Beck’s show has always been a five segment show, and the first segment typically runs 15 to 18 20 minutes in length.
Our interview with James Rucker:
Q – How is it going so far?
A – So far 36 Advertisers have pulled their spots from the Glenn Beck show, or otherwise made sure that they won’t air on his program. Right now I’d say things are going relatively well.
Q – What is the stated goal of the boycott?
A – Our goal is to make companies aware that they are enabling Glenn Beck — their dollars are what gives him a very large platform – a platform that is being used to divide the country with false information masquerading as news.
Q – Fox News has gone on record saying that that boycott has not cost them any ad dollars. Just how effective is the boycott?
A – It’s probably fair to say that they haven’t lost ad dollars yet, but the key word is “yet.” Right now you have advertisers with existing commitments, and they are moving ads to other programs. For those advertisers – when they are up for a new contract who knows what will happen. They may stay on other programs, or they may just leave Fox altogether. But at the end of the day our goal isn’t to remove dollars from Fox News. It’s to reduce the value of Beck’s show.
Q – But if you truly want to effect change, isn’t the goal to have Fox lose money?
A – From my understanding — and you can correct me if I’m wrong — there are a few ways to buy ads. Companies that want to advertise can specify price and which eyeballs, meaning that some are willing to pay for the whole network, and there are advertisers that are paying a premium to advertise on a specific program or time slot. We’re trying to decrease the number of of ads that are paid to run on Glenn Beck, so it decreases the value of the ads. He’s in a prime spot at 5pm — we’re hoping to drive down the value of the ads on his show.
Q – So what is the actual desired net effect of your boycott?
A – Now it may be the case that Glenn Beck is glad to be validated by a small self-marginalizing group. It may be that Fox is comfortable being a validator of this marginalized group that peddles race-based fears. But it’s my guess is that Fox does not want that to be what their brand is about. I’m not sure that they want to be seen as promoters or enablers of race baiting.
Q – Enablers of race baiting?
A – Sure — they provide the platform for Glenn Beck and everyone else at Fox News — when you see the pattern of what he has said: “Obama said, quote: ‘We have got to have a civilian national security force that is just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded as the military.’” Or “Obama wants an America that looks more like Acorn”, or that Obama’s stated goal is “remaking America that will settle old racial scores” – this is a theme that he’s been hitting on repeatedly.
Q – So what do you make of Fox’s official comment that Glenn Beck’s opinions are his own and do not reflect the opinions of Fox News.
A – When Fox says that its just his opinion, and that they are somehow not responsible it rings hollow. They are buying the megaphone and providing him the stage, and then they say “it’s him and not me.” It rings hollow. Does Fox believe this controversy is good for ratings or their business? Perhaps. But for them to call themselves a news network, then let Glenn Beck use their platform as he does – it’s beyond irresponsible. It’s reprehensible.
Q – Would you ever consider expanding your boycott to Fox News?
A – Right now the focus is on Glenn Beck. Of course, should Fox continue to stand behind Beck as he uses his platform to put out false information as news or news commentary, they are making themselves a target.
Q – What would have to happen for you to set your sites on the network and not just the show?
A – I wouldn’t comment much more on this at this point.
43 comments
JimW says: Colby Hall, why don’t you interview Glenn Beck, or would that be beneath you? Or better yet, watch the Beck segment on Color of Change and Van Jones. I just read in the LA Times that “as the boycott continues, Glenn Beck’s audience swells”. I find it sort of repulsive that a journalist like yourself seems to be in favor of silencing Glenn Beck. You would think that ANY attempts at curtailing freedom of speech would lead you to confront Color of Change with Beck’s allegations to find out if they’re true. I would even go further and suggest that Dan Abrams lead a First Amendment crusade to squash any attempts to hurt financially or limit Fox News in any way because of their support of Glenn Beck.
schmoovemoves says: Ya gotta love the marketplace of ideas.
Colby, it seems it would be responsible of you to at least mention Beck’s ratings this week since he returned. He cleared 700,000 in the demo on Monday and Tuesday, and last night he beat O’Reilly in the demo and surpassed 3 million total viewers. With numbers like that, answer honestly: After this controversy subsides, will Fox and Beck emerge more or less powerful? Will Fox be able to charge more or less for Beck’s show?
JimW says: As Glenn Beck took out an NBC bag from the NBC store and pulled out a Barack Obama Action Figure and noted that Barack Obama is not an NBC star, I realized that Glenn Beck is not only a genius, but surely a modern day Mark Twain.
libra blue says: @JimW, I rarely watch Beck myself because sometimes even when he makes a good point he comes across as clownish. However, I agree with your comments here. Colby Hall doesn’t seem interested in investigating or presenting any part of an issue that might challenge the point he is trying to make.
@JimEast, You might be right, Beck and FNC might emerge victorious. I know it made me want to tune in again.
TfT says: And now, NBC along with ABC are refusing to air anti-Obamacare Ads. Clearly, Cody is pushing colorofchange to boycott all of FNC….but, look at Beck’s numbers from last night — he beat O’Reilly in the demo and had over 3M viewers in totals.
TfT says: Ooops…”Cody” should clearly be “Colby”.
Colby Hall says: Hi all – not sure where you all get that I’m in favor of silencing Glenn Beck. In fact, I’ve simply reported how this boycott has thus far been impotent, apart from getting headlines for the Color of Change. And yes, Glenn Beck’s ratings are through the roof, in part as a result of the increased attention that has come from the boycott. But if advertisers are fleeing from this time slot, that’s an something that Fox can’t take advantage of. Buy you are right, I should have made that point in the piece.
This boycott has been great for Glenn Beck’s notoriety among the left, and building support on the right. That’s a point we’ve made already in roughly three separate posts.
Thanks for reading and I encourage you’re comments.
Colby Hall says: Oh and, I would LOVE to interview Glenn Beck, but its not nearly that easy to get to him. I used to work very close to his offices when he was at Headline News and he and I have at least one friend in common. So I don’t see Mr. Beck as the evil monster that those on the left have made of him. I do find that the boycott story to be interesting, particularly since we are in the middle of a huge debate over domestic policy and he has been a very vocal opponent of the President. I personally think he’s a provocateur, and a very entertaining one at that — which explains his great ratings and huge annual paycheck.
libra blue says: @Colby, Thanks for responding to our comments, I respect that.
Like I said, I only watch Beck on occasion and I take a lot of what he says with a grain of salt just like I do other news “personalities,” but he is making an impact. If he was not, the left would not be taking action against him. I think the fact that they are so vocal about their objections to him helps his cause.
Keep trying to get that interview!
Cecelia says: Perhaps if Medialite begs a little more ardently Color of Change will decide to take on the whole of FNC…
I heartily disapprove of Glenn Beck calling the president a racist, but that was NOT the first time a media personality has insinuated the same.
Both Keith Olbermann of MSNBC and Rick Sanchez of CNN have made comments that the last president didn’t care about people of color.
Those sorts of comments, directed at conservatives in general, are so routine that they hardly elicit more than a yawn from the broader media.
At MSNBC, on their late morning offering, Contessa Brewer and David Shuster have smeared a plethora of Obama critics, ROUTINELY linking them to white supremacists and domestic terrorists.
It seems that the boundaries for what is and is not an acceptable opinion for news hosts to voice, is pretty damn selective here.
Hannity Hussein says: Just who exactly is trying to “silence Glen Beck?” The man often acts like a stark raving lunatic. It is his right. His ratings and his 7 figure income surely proves there is an audience for such grade AA asshatery but any reputable firm should rightly think twice before they would give the man a dime in ad revenue.
“Color of Change” was started by a militant black Communist who now works in the White House. The “Color of Change” is a bright shade of red. It’s laughable that they actually think they’re going to damage Fox News or Glenn Beck.
By the way, the supposed “36″ advertisers is an exaggeration that has been debunked. It’s really only a handful of chicken sh*t companies who pulled their ads.
Read all about it
http://www.thehotjoints.com/2009/08/20/rumors-of-glenn-beck-suspension-debunked/
Cecelia says: “Just who exactly is trying to “silence Glen Beck?”
A group called The Color of Skin … eh… Color of Change, rather.
That’s generally the purpose of such actions.
libra blue says: @Cecilia, I don’t see anything wrong with calling Obama a racist. There is plenty of evidence to support that claim, for instance, his “typical white person comment,” his wife’s racist Princeon thesis, his friendships with race baiters like Wright and Gates, I could go on, but I think you get the picture. How much evidence does one need? Imus made one stupid offhand comment and he was crucified for it, but those on the left can make blatantly racist statements and they get a pass.
Double standards at its worst.
libra blue says: Of course I meant Princeton.
libra blue says: @ChrisJones, Only Kool-Aid drinking idiots would be influeced by anything the “Color of Change” has to say. I don’t watch MSNBC so I can only imagine what goes on over there, but no one complains about the racist comments made on a daily basis by Roland Martin on CNN, and where was the outrage when David Gergen, a supposedly objective strategist, called those opposed to Obama “rednecks.” Where were the boycotts when that happened?
IMO, it is racist for the Obama administration to drop charges against the militant New Black Panther Party’s intimidation tactics at the polling places in November. The MSM doesn’t seem to have a problem with that.
Cecelia says: @Cecilia, I don’t see anything wrong with calling Obama a racist. There is plenty of evidence to support that claim, for instance, his “typical white person comment,”
libra blue, I think that attitude reflects the problem.
One fairly innocuous comment, evoking the level of melanin in a person’s skin, and you’re a racist.
All the cultural landmines, that have been planted as political weaponry, aren’t any less vicious and irrational simply because one’s opponent happens to step on one.
Oh, I’m well aware that they mainly obstacles for one side of the political equation (see my post above), but again, irrational is irrational. No matter who is acting that way.
Cecelia says: Tonight, Keith Olbermann expressed regret to Rep. Maxine Waters for being white.
Ostensibly, this wasn’t a promo for his fave dayglo-orange Mystik Tan, but rather an expression of sorrow over the racial hatred he says he’s heard this year from white people (*who aren’t him…).
Well, that’s not good enough, mister!
As penance for the sins of white people (*who aren’t you…), you must demand that your show be boycotted by the Color of Change!
THEN and only then will you be deemed sufficiently remorseful and worthy of atonement for the sins of white people (*who most assuredly aren’t you…)
*Keith Olbermann is and only is apologizing for the heinous character failings of other people who are NOT him…
libra blue says: @Cecelia, I don’t know how you can stand watching Olbermann. Maybe he should step down and demand that a non-white person be given his job on Countdown. I think then, and only then will he be forgiven his sin of being white.
For all their complaining about and finger pointing at FNC, there still isn’t a black anchor during prime time on either CNN or MSNBC. They should step up and set an example starting with Olbermann and Anderson, the whitest person on TV.
@libra blue
“where was the outrage when David Gergen, a supposedly objective strategist, called those opposed to Obama “rednecks.” Where were the boycotts when that happened? ”
Well, let’s remember the rednecks weren’t the ones that were slaves for 300 years, and had to endure another 100 under “jim crow”.
@libra blue
“For all their complaining about and finger pointing at FNC, there still isn’t a black anchor during prime time on either CNN or MSNBC.”
At least CNN and MSNBC HAVE black anchors on their network, Tony Harris, Carlos Watson, Don Lemon, to name a few. Kelly “whatever-his-name-is” that’s on Fox hosts on the WEEKEND, ouch. And outside of that Uma (African name) that does breaking news, THAT’S IT for Fox.
Cecelia says: “where was the outrage when David Gergen, a supposedly objective strategist, called those opposed to Obama “rednecks.” Where were the boycotts when that happened? ”
Well, let’s remember the rednecks weren’t the ones that were slaves for 300 years, and had to endure another 100 under “jim crow”.
Neither did Obama and neither did James Rucker.
If you’re arguing that the people who David Gergen insulted as being rednecks, have never experienced intolerance, how do you know? And isn’t Gergen’s appellation proof otherwise?
If you’re suggesting that these people’s ancestors never experienced hardship and intolerance, again what assumptions are you making and how do you know?
libra blue says: @Ryan Karr, With that type of reasoning this country will never move forward. You are obviously not versed in world history because virtually every race in every country was enslaved at one time or another. So should we all hold a grudge against one another? What about the Native Americans who had their country stolen from them or the Japanese Americans who were wrongly forced into internment camps during WWII? Why aren’t they complaining left and right like the blacks do? They choose not to live in the past and have picked themselves up and moved on.
I am not defending FNC on their lack of black personnel, we know their record, but CNN and MSNBC pride themselves on being pro minority, but have still balked at putting a black anchor, man or woman, in their prime time lineup.
As someone who has watched Beck’s new show on Fox since its inception, I can VOUCH for the fact that Glenn’s show has had one of the longest A-blocks on commentary shows. This is nothing new for the first segment to be 18 minutes – that is standard practice for his show, and if you don’t believe me, go back and check archives. Glenn isn’t having “longer segments” due to “lost advertisements,” you fools. That’s just the way his show runs.
Geez, can’t you go to the source for once, instead of the race pimps and class envy groups for your own validation?
Lame, indeed.
Ryan Karr said: And outside of that Uma (African name) that does breaking news, THAT’S IT for Fox.
******************************************************
Uma is not African; she is Indian, I believe. Her last name is Pemmaraju. Get it right, d-bag.
Jim Treacher says: “Well, let’s remember the rednecks weren’t the ones that were slaves for 300 years, and had to endure another 100 under ‘jim crow’.”
Reparations.
“At least CNN and MSNBC HAVE black anchors on their network, Tony Harris, Carlos Watson, Don Lemon, to name a few. Kelly ‘whatever-his-name-is’ that’s on Fox hosts on the WEEKEND, ouch. And outside of that Uma (African name) that does breaking news, THAT’S IT for Fox.”
Quotas.
Wow, you guys really are the party of new ideas.
TBDave says: Of course they’re going after Fox News next. And if the boycott’s fail, they’ll get the Democrats in Congress to change the laws and attack using the legal system. Liberals have shown over and over that they have no tolerance for opposing viewpoints. They will do anything possible to shut down the only news organization that dares to question Obama.
Back in October 2008, Michael Barone wrote an article titled “The Coming Obama Thugocracy”. It’s amazing how dead-on he was about Obama and his supporters suppressing free speech.
m says: @Cecelia “Both Keith Olbermann of MSNBC and Rick Sanchez of CNN have made comments that the last president didn’t care about people of color.”
Well, the black community at large took Bush’s inaction during Katrina’s swallowing of New Orleans as a racial issue. I think it’s legitimate to ask the question whether if New Orleans was filled with white people the Bush Administration’s alertness would’ve been different.
Quite a difference from Obama, who’s already half-white, has white family, pretty much works around a majority of whites all day, gets called a “racist” who has a “has a deep-seated hatred for white people” and “white culture”.
@Jim Treacher
I love how the fact you think that as soon as black people acquire a good job, it’s due to quotas. This is why minorities don’t flock to the Republicans.
m says: @TBDave
What laws, what changes to the legal system? Incredible hyperbole. Stop making stuff up.
If conservatives believed in opposing viewpoints they should’ve given Alan Colmes Hannity’s or Beck’s timeslot.
sarainitaly says: “Both Keith Olbermann of MSNBC and Rick Sanchez of CNN have made comments that the last president didn’t care about people of color.
Those sorts of comments, directed at conservatives in general, are so routine that they hardly elicit more than a yawn from the broader media.
At MSNBC, on their late morning offering, Contessa Brewer and David Shuster have smeared a plethora of Obama critics, ROUTINELY linking them to white supremacists and domestic terrorists.”
Not to mention the President calling the Boston Police stupid (acted stupidly) thus siding with Gates that they were racist.
Olbermann and Garofalo calling conservatives straight up teabagging racist rednecks. Malloy wishing for the suicide death of Glenn Beck. Ed Shultz and the msnbc liberals have ALL slammed conservatives and viewers of FOX. Hell, Olbermann just called them all tin foil hat wearing racists. They are so desperate their pundits attack normal citizens (O’Donnell salivating while attacking Katy Abram) and guests (Peter Schiff) They are PATHETIC.
The only reason no one has called for a boycott of msnbc is because no one watches it anymore.
Glenn Beck has every right to think Obama is racist. Wright is. And Obama seems to think middle america is a bunch of gun and bible clinging racists. Obama thinks anyone who opposes him does so because he doesn’t look like the other Presidents on the money, he has a funny name… He and the Dems played the race card over and over and over again, insinuating anyone who opposed him was racist. NOW the left is getting their panties in a twist because Beck states he thinks Obama is a racist?
Half of the country has been called racist for two years by everyone from Obama to Pelosi and all the democrats and the liberal media.
Boycott Beck my ass. Boycott liberal media and the Democrats!
And funny thing…it seems like everyone is. The polls are dropping, and so are the liberal media ratings.
sarainitaly says: m says:
August 28, 2009 at 4:39 am
You mean like how msnbc gave Joe Scarborough a primetime slot?
TfT says: The whole boycott thing is ridiculous and has backfired. Beck has gotten more attention from it than I’m sure colorofchange had ever anticipated. Stifling freedom of speech is not a winning strategy.
Furthermore, information that I have received from several of the companies that coc claims are boycotting Beck, aren’t boycotting him at all. It’s smoke and mirrors from coc.
Now, Olbermann tells his viewers he is embarrassed to be white. If Keith is embarrassed, then there is only one solution for him — fine, quit your show Olbermann and turn it over one of those “MSNBC black anchors” that Ryan mentioned above .
m says: @sarainitaly
Scarborough had a primetime show on MSNBC. It was called Scarborough Country. Check your facts.
Pam1151 says: Glen Beck has come a long way for a recovering drug and alcohol addict. As most good addicts (dry drunks) he has honed all the deceptive, illusory and misleading skills necessary for survival.
Cecelia says: “Well, the black community at large took Bush’s inaction during Katrina’s swallowing of New Orleans as a racial issue. I think it’s legitimate to ask the question whether if New Orleans was filled with white people the Bush Administration’s alertness would’ve been different.”
Well, since the devastation from Katrina was 90,000 miles long (a lot of that area continues to look as ravished as post-WWII Europe…) it’s more than a bit of a “long stretch” to suggest that black citizens in New Orleans were singled out for neglect.
That Keith Olbermann (along with other partisans) has no difficulty in finding a Katrina “nexus” of inefficiency when it involves whites and racist neglect when it involves people of color, is hardly a news flash.
If you’re suggesting that Katrina gives Olbermann an objective (rather than subjective) platform for accusing Bush of racism (and that’s what this accusation is, make no mistake) that Glenn Beck does not have, you’d be hard-pressed to make that case in the light of the facts.
You’d have even less of case for justifying Olbermann and the rest of MSNBC’s daily smearing of Obama critics as being extremist cross-burning militia assassins at worst, ignorant “rednecks” at best.
An irony that speaks to a smug elitist intolerance and bigotry that is utterly lost on these people, as they insult and smear ordinary critics in a way that makes Glenn Beck’s remark seem incidental in comparison.
sarainitaly says: m says:
August 28, 2009 at 7:45 am
That’s right…Scarborough Country, which was replaced by Live with Dan Abrams, and then replaced by Rachel Maddow.
They definitely went downhill after Dan.
@sarainitaly
Right… that’s why Maddows ratings are quadrupled compared to Dan Abrams. Just because Maddow doesn’t fit into your conservative view of the world doesn’t mean she doesn’t make MSNBC money. Isn’t that the real reason Beck and Hannity are going nuts? When they say outrageous things, they get more viewers, and in turn make their broadcasters money. Maybe you can explain to me why Rush Limbaugh has a $300 million contract, but he still “fight’s for the people”.
Jim Treacher says: “I love how the fact you think that as soon as black people acquire a good job, it’s due to quotas.”
Well said. Whereas I think it’s amusing that when someone calls for more people to be hired on Fox News soley based on the color of their skin, you don’t think they’re calling for quotas.
Jim Treacher says: “Right… that’s why Maddows ratings are quadrupled compared to Dan Abrams.”
And one-quarter of Hannity’s.
sarainitaly says: Ryan Karr says:
August 28, 2009 at 1:54 pm
“Just because Maddow doesn’t fit into your conservative view of the world”
Just because I think msnbc is a joke you assume I have a conservative view of the world? I was a democrat until 2008. I am an independent.
“Isn’t that the real reason Beck and Hannity are going nuts? When they say outrageous things, they get more viewers”
Olby, Tingles, Maddow and Ed do nothing but spew craziness nightly, but they don’t seem to be drawing in the viewers… Perhaps calling *viewers* racist isn’t the best way to win friends and influence people.
Jim Treacher says:
August 28, 2009 at 2:37 pm
haha
m says: Fox News has been solidly conservative since 1996. MSNBC has been solidly liberal since… april this year when they hired Ed Schultz. Conservatives automatically flip to Fox News. Liberals don’t do that with MSNBC, yet.
sarainitaly says: FOX news was created to provide a conservative voice in the media. I used to watch msnbc all the time. They went downhill and became a joke. I prefer FOX, at least they admit to being conservative leaning, and they do actually allow dissenting voices/opinions on their shows. The networks and other cable channels try to pretend they don’t have a liberal bias, meanwhile they get all tingly…
And liberals have bailed on msnbc – I know many. people don’t like being treated like idiots, or being lied to.
Rain says: I have written to these Companies, and have urged all my friends, and really any one who believes in Glen Beck to write, and then boycott these companies, I’m tired of these Socialist groups like “Color of Change,” intimidating, and black mailing these weak Companies. It’s time to show them “Color of Change” represent” just a small part of America. Time for the Heart Land to let it be known..”We made them..We can break them.”
BE BOLD. Write Clorox, Best Buy, etc. They had better hear our voice. I’ve already heard back from Sprint, apologizing, trying to make excuses. I’m not buying their excuses, or their Product, which I’ve used for years. Beck is not a racist, and I’m sick of that stale old strategy.
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